Opener Shubman Gill on Friday congratulated D Gukesh on behalf of the Indian cricket team after the 18-year-old Grandmaster became the youngest ever world chess champion. Gukesh scripted history on Thursday when he dethroned China's Ding Liren 7.5-6.5 to grab the title in Singapore. "I want to congratulate D Gukesh on behalf of the entire Indian cricket team. To become the youngest World Chess Champion is a feat in itself," said Gill while addressing the media ahead of the third Test against Australia.
Gukesh won the 14th game against Liren in 58 moves, making him the 18th world chess champion overall.
"I have been dreaming of this moment for the last 10 years. I am happy that I realised the dream (and made it) into reality," the soft-spoken Chennai-lad had said after the epochal triumph.
Before Gukesh's feat, the legendary Garry Kasparov of Russia was the youngest world chess champion when he won the title at the age of 22, unseating Anatoly Karpov in 1985.
Gukesh had entered the title match as the youngest ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year.
He is the second Indian after the legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the world chess title.